


The Connections That Build and the Secrets We Hid

by delmcatee



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-20
Updated: 2012-06-20
Packaged: 2017-11-08 04:46:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/439298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delmcatee/pseuds/delmcatee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A look at Hank's childhood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Connections That Build and the Secrets We Hid

Hank was born with his eyes open.

They were the dark indigo somewhat common of babies and they followed everything that moved, restless and seemingly never to stop. The nurses and doctors laughed nervously and reminded themselves there was no way the baby could really see as the muscles that enable clear focus didn't really develop until a few months later. There was worry about him being epileptic but all tests proved negative and so the worries were put to rest.  
  
What caused a little more worry were his unusual toes. They were longer then normal, almost finger like, but it was decided that since the baby wasn't in any pain and the feet seemed to function normally, they would observe how the feet developed and not worry about treatment at this early stage.  
  
Hank knew the high voice he heard once he was thrust into this bright new world though he didn't have the words. He wondered where the deeper voice he had been hearing was, though again, he didn't have the words. The words were for later so instead he explored as best he could.  
  
He spoke his first clear word when he was six months old and when he was seven months old he took his first climb to bipedal walking. He was eight months old when he repeated, word for word, a book his parents read to him every night, turning each page at the proper time in his tiny little hands. At ten months he picked up a new book and began to understand the symbols that became words.  
  
Kindergarten was a challenge for him. The social dynamics were a mystery and the connections between actions, emotions and reactions were hard to predict. He also found the lessons boring so he would try to get away with reading ahead, succeeding more often than not. Then he discovered the school library.  
  
In two weeks he had moved from kindergarten books to second grade. His favorites were the nonfiction as the world was so complex and he wanted to understand it. First it was the animal books and soon after the science. All too soon he had to sneak into the fourth and fifth grade books as the librarian would catch him reading what she called "inappropriate" materials. His world finally grew in the first grade when his mother took him to the city's library and suddenly the walls limiting his understanding seemed to come down.  
  
When he was seven his feet started changing. They would ache and he could tell his big toe was changing and moving, almost as if his feet were becoming hands. The next time he went to the city library he went straight to the medical section to podiatry. He didn't want to worry his mom and so searched to see if he could find his condition and if it was dangerous. He found nothing but he did find a new word, mutation. This lead to his exploring evolution and Darwin's writings. He stopped showing his feet to anyone, his parents included.  
  
Gym was hard. Waiting until the other boys were distracted or finished dressing. He missed swimming but was too embarrassed by his feet to participate.  
  
His studies continued outpacing what he learned in school. From biology he learned how interconnected life was. He started seeing animals and people as part of one big family, challenging himself to see how far removed the neighbors dog was to him by classification and evolution. Biology lead to chemistry and the bonds that connected all matter. Hank started looking at the world and seeing all the ways matter could change. Add an electron here or remove one and you had something completely different. Physics came next and suddenly the world was a panorama of equations in motion and rest. One time he watched in an oddly fascinated and detracted way as a fist broke his glasses and gave him a black eye; calculating the angles and amount of force and predicting how much it would hurt.  
  
Teachers began to keep a closer eye on him for his protection.  
  
At twelve and after extensive testing (and backroom browbeating by the CIA), he was allowed to attend Harvard. He was given into the protection of a Sophomore named Lucas who has friendly and protective. Hank's understanding of physics and chemistry exploded. Chemistry grew to biochemistry and physics evolved into engineering. He observed the complexities of love and friendship from his fellow students though the faculty tried their best to protect his young mind. He discovered Heinlein, Asimov and Clark. His young mind fascinated by the social ethics and morals explored though he barely understood them. Lucas did his best to help him understand but Hank just didn't have the life experiences to build upon.  
  
At fifteen Hank graduated, the youngest graduate of Harvard, and was recruited by the CIA. The young and naive Hank was honored by the chance to make a real difference in the world and to help keep it safe like one of the heroes in his science fiction books. Maybe someday he'd even have a girl love him for himself and not be afraid of his secret.


End file.
